Nearly ten months after the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department's (JMPD) speed cameras were switched off, motorists in Johannesburg are still without camera-based speed enforcement. The city's three-year contract with Syntell, which provided the cameras and the system used to process fines, lapsed on 23 December. This has resulted in a significant loss of revenue for the city, with over three million traffic fines generated from speed cameras in the previous financial year.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the JMPD generated almost R47 million from all traffic fines. When the contract lapsed, Syntell took its cameras with it, and the JMPD does not seem to have any of its own. As a result, enforcement operations were temporarily suspended, and access to back-end systems ended. The city is currently navigating the mandatory Municipal Finance Management Act procurement process to appoint a new service provider.
JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla stated that the tender process to replace the system is still underway. In the interim, officers previously tasked with speed enforcement have been redeployed to high-impact physical policing, including high-visibility patrols. This redeployment aims to address areas with high levels of crime.
The recent increase in metro police deployments around the Johannesburg High Court was also at the request of the court. This is part of a structured inner-city service delivery operation, which manages heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic in response to a formal request from the High Court judges for perimeter security and safety.
The JMPD has substantially increased its presence along the three-block stretch around the court precinct in the last few weeks. The area is expected to undergo a R360 million restoration through a public-private partnership. This increased presence aims to enhance safety and security in the area.
Superintendent Fihla emphasized that the city's efforts to restore speed enforcement are underway, but the process is taking time due to the necessary procurement procedures. The city is working to appoint a new service provider and restore camera-based speed enforcement as soon as possible.
The absence of camera-based speed enforcement has significant implications for road safety in Johannesburg. The city's residents and motorists are eagerly awaiting the restoration of this critical enforcement mechanism to help reduce speeding and promote safer roads.
Key points
- The city's contract with Syntell lapsed on 23 December, resulting in a significant loss of revenue from traffic fines.
- The JMPD has redeployed officers previously tasked with speed enforcement to high-impact physical policing to address areas with high levels of crime.
- The city is currently navigating the procurement process to appoint a new service provider and restore camera-based speed enforcement.
